The University of Nebraska Medical Center has a long history and commitment to teaching health profession students in gerontology and geriatrics. Under the leadership of Dr. Jane Potter, the last seven years have seen the development of several programs in geriatrics. These clinical programs are now established training sites for students, residents and fellows of geriatric medicine. The College of Medicine is now proposing that Dr. Jane Potter, Chief, Section of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Internal Medicine, develop multidisciplinary research in aging and expand the scope of the geriatric training programs. Dr. Potter would work with several departments within the College of Medicine and with the college of Nursing to accomplish these goals. The six aims of this application are: (1) to facilitate multidisciplinary research efforts in aging among faculty which includes laboratory based, clinical science and ethical approaches. This will be accomplished through collaboration of key faculty in the college of Medicine and recruitment of new faculty with an interest in aging research. (2) to expand computerized clinical data sets for use by geriatrics faculty and trainees. This approach overcomes a major obstacle for trainees and junior faculty who have a limited time frame in which to conduct clinical research. It also allows collaboration with faculty from the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. This aim will be accomplished through purchase and setup of a local area network computer system within the University Geriatric Center. (3) to establish postdoctoral research training programs. Geriatric fellows from medicine, dentistry and psychiatry will be involved in a program of didactic training and research methods, supervised research, and manuscript preparation. (4) to stimulate interest and facilitate research in aging among health profession students. Research stipends would be established to support research in aging and awards would be granted on a competitive basis. A research fund would be established to support stipends beyond the period of the GLAA. (5) to develop interdisciplinary training based on a functional approach to chronic disease. This program would involve undergraduate and postgraduate students from several health professions and include a curriculum with didactic and clinical components. (6) to establish and interdepartmental division of geriatrics between the Departments of Internal Medicine and Family Practice. Under this aim the strengths of both departments would be combined to better serve the rural aged of Nebraska.